She also delivered an impressive first-place finish at the Atlanta Women’s 5K. In just three months, she’s accrued several PRs and podium finishes including third place in January at the Houston Half Marathon in 1:07:32 (only 17 seconds behind Sara Hall, who broke the American record) and second place in the 10,000 meters in March at The TEN track meet where she PR’d in 31:00:00 (what would be the 8th fastest time in the U.S. The first quarter of 2022 is the perfect example. In turn, I perform so much better,” she says. “When I’m not looking for my worth in my performances and I’m not comparing my body to other athletes, that’s when I’m happiest. It’s no coincidence that Scott has recently been ripping off one top performance after another. Instead, I’m thankful for my body because it’s doing cool things.” “Now, when I look at race photos of myself, I don’t see the muscle or the extra weight I’m carrying, because I know my body is allowing me to put in the performances I’m very proud of. “I can remember as a 12-year-old wanting to have a six-pack so badly because I thought that’s what defined a good athlete.”Īlmost two decades later (now with that six pack), Scott is still learning not to compare herself to others. It’s hard to accept ourselves without comparing ourselves to others.”Īnd for many female distance runners around the world that often means comparing bodies, admits Scott. “I was reminded how I needed to be proud of my identity outside of running,” she says.īut for someone like Scott, who has made a living pursuing challenges, this is easier said than done: “Ever since I was a little girl, I’ve been chasing first places, gold medals, PRs, and records. Within three months, Scott got COVID and developed a stress fracture. It struck her again at the beginning of 2021. I didn’t walk off the track a better person,” she says. At her Olympic debut, she ran a personal best, but got lapped twice. ![]() ![]() This realization really hit home for her, she says, after racing the 10,000 meters at the Rio Olympics. ![]() “I’m a sister, a daughter, and a wife before I’m a runner.” Dropping the Comparisons The people in my life love me no matter how well I’m performing on the track,” she says. I don’t have to prove anything to anyone. “I have learned through my Christian faith that I am enough. But at the end of the day, she says, being a successful runner is not how she defines her self-worth. Whether it was joining the team at the University of Arkansas or Team Boss, Scott has thrived on having to prove herself among faster teammates. What can you do to challenge yourself to grow?” Scott asks. “Maybe your long run has been a certain distance at a certain pace with the same group of people for the past couple of years. “After a certain amount of time you get too comfortable to grow,” says the 29-year-old Adidas-sponsored athlete. RELATED: For Cory McGee, It’s the Team that Makes the Dream She also met the love of her life there: The day she won the 3,000 meters (the Razorbacks’ first national championship in a women’s sport), her teammate, Cameron Efurd, dropped to his knee to propose.Ī few years after marrying, they moved to Boulder, Colorado in 2019, so she could train with world class Boss teammates (including Emma Coburn, Cory McGee, and Aisha Praught Leer) under coach Joe Bosshard. She did that and more: During her university career, Scott was a 5-time NCAA champion, 10-time SEC champion, 12-time All American and helped the Lady Razorbacks win their first ever indoor (2015) and outdoor (2016) NCAA team titles. “I had to work hard to prove I was worthy of my scholarship,” says Scott. She went from being one of the best track runners in South Africa to the 8th best girl on her team. In 2012, Scott took an even bigger leap when she moved to the U.S. It was her mother, a semi-professional runner, coach, and schoolteacher, who taught her, “There are no shortcuts,” says Scott. Finding ways to challenge herself was in her blood. The South African runner made her first challenging move at 14 years old when she chose to attend a Rhenish Girls’ High School, a boarding school, outside her hometown of Cape Town, that offered cross-country and track as school sports. Moving outside her comfort zone has made her a better runner ever since she was a teen, she says. Two-time Olympian Dominique (Dom) Scott’s steady climb to becoming one of the world’s best distance runners may have to do with her affinity for change. Heading out the door? Read this article on the new Outside+ app available now on iOS devices for members!
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |